Truss



Dec. l1 1923.

J. A. MILLER TRUSS Filed April 25, 1923 7 .1J if lf. QU 1 S a I W 1h11i: LL; J, J i.

Patented Dec. 1l, 1923.

VUNITED STATES JOHN A. MILLER, OF HOMEWOOD, ILLINOIS.

TRUSS.

Application led April 23, 1923. Serial N'o. 638,885.

To all whom. it may crm cern Be it known that I. JOHN A. MILLER, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Homewood. in the countyof (`ook and State of Illinois. have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Trusses. of which the following is a specitication.

My invention relates to trusses of the type disclosed in my Patent No.1.438.452 of December 12, 1922. in which parallel laminated arch membersare spaced apart bv web blocks or short lengths of planks.

The object of the invention is to procure greater stiffness, rigidityand strength without increasing the. weight. In my present arrangementthe blocks or short plank lengths of each longitudinal row are displacedlongitudinally or spaced apart. but` the rows are longitudinally offsetso that the blocks of one row will bridge between-the blocks of theother row, and at the same time the blocks of one row are interjointedor inter-connected at their ends with the ends of the blocks of theother row so that `the blocks 'form a web chain which of itself forms astrong truss structure and which together' with the laminated archmembers will form an exceedingly rigid and strong truss which incomparison with its radial thickness may have a very long spanand willsupport heavy loads with safety.

0n the accompanying drawing which illustrates my improved constructionand arrangement. i

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a truss.

Fig. 2 is au enlarged side elevational view of a section of the truss.and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on plane 3 3, Fig. Q.

The truss structure shown comprises the outer and inner arch members aand b and the web part designated as n whole c, the arch parts hein, rparallel. The. member o is progressively built up of boards l0 t o thedesired height, the boards being held one against the. other by nailsl1. the boards breaking joints and overlapping. The innerr arch memberIris formed up in a similar manner of boards l2 held together by nails13.

The web section of the truss is'builtl up of blocks 14 cut from planksof the desired thickness. The blocks are all of the same shape and arerectangular. The blocks of the upper row are spaced apart. and enl gagewith their upper edges afainst the arch member a, while the blocks othe. lower row are similarly spaced apart and engage with their lowermembers against the arch member l). The rows are longitudinally otl'setso that the blocks of one row will bridge the blocks of the other row,and then bolts 15 are extended through the arch members and through thevoverlapping ends of 'the blocks. the blocks being set; midway between thsides of the arch members with their inner edges in register.

The arch members am usually built up on tlie ground, suitable templateor other guide arrangement being provided so that the arch members willassume their pro r curvature. The blocks can be inserted a ter formationof the arch members or the inner boards of the arch members can r'stbespiked to the respectire blocks and then the other laminations applieduntil the arch members have been built .up.. The arch memberswith'lthe-blocks secured thereto are. then broughttogether and the boltsapplied.

To [strengthen the varch members and blocks`\ against longitudinaldisplacement and also lto increase the bracing effect of the blocks theblocks are cut away at their inner corners -to leave the' notches 16,and the tongues 1T.' When the blocks are assembled the ends of theblocks will engagengainst--the ton ues of adjacent blocks and nallynterjointed and inter-connected so that the blocks will form acontinuous chain. The blocks thus interconnected and securedtransversely by the bolts will of themselves form a rigid trussstructure which together with the laminated arch members will form anexceedingly strong truss whose span can be niade very lon" com ared withits vertical thickness, andhwhic will sustain heavy loads with greatsafety. After formation of the trusses they are set upon suitablesupporting pillars 18 of mason work or concrete.4 The arrangement isparticularly adaptable4 for low buildings such as dance pavilions,skating pavillons, auditoriums or the -like where exten ed Hoor space isdesired without; intervenngcolumns alndsup` ports. The truss can iboinexpensively constructed, stock lumber being used for the arch members,and the blocks can be out from planks or from'odds and ends. When thearch members and blocks are assembled the grain of the wo'od is parallelwith` the the blocks will e thus positively longituditruss throughoutits extent and this together with the interlinked blocks gives the archits great strength and rigidity.

I claim as follows:

1. In a truss structure, the combination of outer and inner arch membersand a web structure, said arch members being each built up oflaminations and being parallel, the web structure'comprisng an outer rowof blocks and an inner row of blocks, the blocks of each row beingspaced apart and the blocks of one rou' being longitudinally offset frombut overlapping the blocks of the other ron', and bolts extendingtransversely through said arch membersV and the overlapping ends of saidblocks.

2. In a truss Astructure, the combination of outcr and inner laminatedparallel arch members, a web structure composed of short blocks arrangedin outer and inner rows, the blocks of the outer row being spaced apartand those of the inner Vroufbeing correspondingly spaced apart, theblocks of the' outer row abuttinr against the outer arch member and theblocks of the inner row abutting against the inner arch member, theblocks engaging at their inner edges and those of one row bridging overthe s aces between the blocks of the other row, lts extendingtransversely through said arch members and the overlapping ends of saidblocks. and abutments on said blocks extending into the spaces betweenassociated blocks for locking said blocks against longitudinaldisplacement.

3. In a. truss structure, the combination of an outer arch member and aninner arch member parallel therewith, said members be ing spaced aparta. short distance as oompared with their length, web members in the formof short blocks set on edge between the arch members and arranged inouter and inner rows, the blocks of each row being spaced apart and theblocks of one row bridging the spaces between the blocks of the otherrow, theI ends ofthe blocks being nterjointed, and bolts extendingtransversea l! through the arch members and through t ie interlointedends of said blocks.

4. In a. truss structure, the combination of outer and inner laminatedarch members, said members being parallel and being spaced apart a shortdistance as compared 'with their lengths, a web structureK composed ofblocks in the form of short lengths of plank, the blocks being set onedge between the arch members and arranged in longitudinal rows, theblocks of each row bein spaced apart and the blocks of one rowl ridgingthe` spaces between the blocks of the other row, each block having anabutment tongue extending between the ends of the blocks which itbridges whereby said blocks will be interjointed, and bolts extendingtransversely through the arch members and through the inter1ointcd endsof said blocks.

In WitnessI whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 17th day of AprilA. D., 1923.

JOHN A. MILLER.

